Insurance companies flooded with Arthur damage claims

Post-tropical storm brought heavy rains and high winds to the Maritimes on Saturday

Insurance companies in New Brunswick are busy dealing with claims from damage caused by post-tropical storm Arthur.

Most home insurance policies cover wind damage. High winds brought by post-tropical storm Arthur blew a large tree limb onto this house in the Sunshine Gardens area of Fredericton on Saturday. (Mary-Pat Schutta / CBC)

Wilson Insurance in Fredericton says it has received more than 100 applications, compared to the estimated four it would get on a normal day.

Agents say people should be patient — and know what their policy covers.

Most home insurance policies cover wind damage, which doesn't fall under "acts of God," they said.

Most home policies also include the cost of debris removal if a house, or shed, or fence is struck, even if they're not damaged because homeowners can't know if there is damage until the debris is removed.

Otherwise, debris removal is not normally covered, the agents CBC News spoke to on Monday said.

Cars may not be claimed under house insurance, even if they're parked in the driveway.

'I saw the tree had, not really cracked, but the ground was so saturated that the roots came loose and it just fell on top of both the vehicles.'- Jason Lavigne, Kingston resident

Jason Lavigne is glad he had extra insurance coverage for his vehicles.

He was getting his family ready to leave their Kingston home as the storm arrived on Saturday, but he was too late.

"We heard a nice dull thud and I said, 'Oh is that a gust of wind?' and the Misses said, 'I don't think so.' So when I went downstairs I saw the tree had, not really cracked, but the ground was so saturated that the roots came loose and it just fell on top of both the vehicles."

Lavigne says fortunately, he had comprehensive insurance that covered the damage.

Such coverage is not mandatory, and some people forgo the extra cost.

While people are waiting for their adjuster to show up, Amanda Dean, the vice-president of the Insurance Bureau of Canada Atlantic, recommends they take photographs of the damage.

They should also start cleaning up, "if it's safe to do so," she said.

"And if possible, protect the property from further damage. So, for example, board up holes, move items out of wet basements, and keep all receipts and expenses related to the clean up, because that will be part of your claim," Dean said.

Post-tropical storm Arthur brought strong winds and heavy rain to New Brunswick on Saturday, damaging tens of thousands of trees across the province and knocking out power to more than 140,000 NB Power customers at its peak.

The strongest winds were recorded in Fredericton, where gusts hit 100 km/h.

All of New Brunswick received heavy rainfall. St. Stephen, in the southwestern part of the province, received 143 millimetres of rain on Saturday — the highest amount of rain from the storm recorded in the Maritimes.

The pounding rain caused a massive sinkhole that swallowed three trailers and one car at the Hartt Island RV Resort in Fredericton on Saturday.